In return, Sid will make rare appearance on PP point

In return, Sid will make rare appearance on PP pointSidney Crosby will play the point tonight should the Penguins get a power play, something he hasn't done since his QMJHL days.

NEW YORK --Sidney Crosby hasn't played the point on the power play since he was with Rimouski Oceanic in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. That will change Thursday night against the New York Rangers, provided the Pittsburgh Penguins get a power-play opportunity at Madison Square Garden.

Crosby has been working on the strong-side point of the Penguins first power-play unit for the past few practices. He is playing opposite Kris Letang with Evgeni Malkin on the strong-side wall, James Neal down low, and Steve Sullivan on the weak-side wall.

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"I played point in juniors so the comfort level is there," Crosby said. "As far as seeing the things you want to see and getting little habits that you get used to (when you're) playing a certain spot, that's going to take time. But, I have a comfort level there."

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said his reasoning for moving Crosby to the point is so he is more involved in the power play. Crosby had been used as the low man on the power play in the limited time he has played during the past 14 months.

"The power play goes through the half wall for the most part and the strong-side point guy. That's Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for our team right now," Bylsma said. "At times we've seen Geno as the off-side point man. He didn't really touch the puck and wasn't a real focus on the power play. With Sidney Crosby down low, he's very good in that spot, but the power play doesn't go through that spot. It ends up there with a shot. James Neal is there right now and his power-play goals (14) speak for themselves in that situation.

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft